The grudge Tony Sparano held after the Dolphins’ surreptitious courting of Jim Harbaugh in early 2011 “damaged the whole organization,” owner Stephen Ross said on Dan Le Batard’s show on 790 The Ticket on Friday afternoon.

Appearing as a guest to talk about the future of Sun Life Stadium, Ross instead revisited the Dolphins’ recent past.

He spoke in detail about the fractious relationship between Sparano and Ross and Jeff Ireland.

...

“He could never put it behind him,” Ross said. “I don’t think he was the right head coach for the Miami Dolphins. I didn’t hire him. We’re a much better organization today than then.”

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• “This organization is functioning the best since the [ Don] Shula days, [because] I picked the head coach with Jeff Ireland. People see this organization is really on the uptick.”

The grudge Tony Sparano held after the Dolphins’ surreptitious courting of Jim Harbaugh in early 2011 “damaged the whole organization,” owner Stephen Ross said on Dan Le Batard’s show on 790 The Ticket on Friday afternoon.

Appearing as a guest to talk about the future of Sun Life Stadium, Ross instead revisited the Dolphins’ recent past.

He spoke in detail about the fractious relationship between Sparano and Ross and Jeff Ireland.

...

“He could never put it behind him,” Ross said. “I don’t think he was the right head coach for the Miami Dolphins. I didn’t hire him. We’re a much better organization today than then.”

...

• “This organization is functioning the best since the [ Don] Shula days, [because] I picked the head coach with Jeff Ireland. People see this organization is really on the uptick.”

Ireland had a mess to clean up. I don't like all the things he's done to clean it up, but he is cleaning it up. I like what we've done in the off-season, and despite initially being pissed, the more I look at the draft the better it's looking for us. He's not on the hot seat at all

This certifies that our owner doesn't know WTF he's doing. Sparano deserved to get fired, but going on the record like this is unecessary, not to mention ironic given that Ross gave the man a lame duck year to coach.

This will come back to bite him in the a$$. That's how these things work.

Ireland is on the hot seat. All this movement and money isn't just for fun. It is the biggest moves Miami has made in quite some time. I think anything less than a playoff berth will be considered a failure by the organization and Ireland will be packing his bags.

The trade shenanigans in the third round look pretty amateur. You could have had the same player and kept your 5th and 7th round pick without making that trade. The team actually gives up picks to trade Bess. Really...we couldn't have moved him for at least a 5th or 6th from someone else? Hell, let him walk in free agency and take the compensatory pick. Selecting a solid OG type when you claimed to be looking for an OT looks like a risky move. No skill positions drafted on offense yet this year.....Wallace and Keller were good acquisitions. Bush was a significant loss. I think you still have to find Thomas' replacement. Miller will be fine, but he will need help. Lots of turnover, a 2nd year QB and a tough schedule (again). I would love to see the team make the playoffs, but I think it is a tall order. It might be two more years of football, with hopefully less roster turnover, for this team to make the playoffs. I doubt the organization has the patience.

_________________Philbin's countenance exudes confidence!1984 was so long ago...Will there ever be another rainbow?

Ireland is on the hot seat. All this movement and money isn't just for fun. It is the biggest moves Miami has made in quite some time. I think anything less than a playoff berth will be considered a failure by the organization and Ireland will be packing his bags.

The trade shenanigans in the third round look pretty amateur. You could have had the same player and kept your 5th and 7th round pick without making that trade. The team actually gives up picks to trade Bess. Really...we couldn't have moved him for at least a 5th or 6th from someone else? Hell, let him walk in free agency and take the compensatory pick. Selecting a solid OG type when you claimed to be looking for an OT looks like a risky move. No skill positions drafted on offense yet this year.....Wallace and Keller were good acquisitions. Bush was a significant loss. I think you still have to find Thomas' replacement. Miller will be fine, but he will need help. Lots of turnover, a 2nd year QB and a tough schedule (again). I would love to see the team make the playoffs, but I think it is a tall order. It might be two more years of football, with hopefully less roster turnover, for this team to make the playoffs. I doubt the organization has the patience.

I see a lot of things quite differently. Particularly the idea of Bess getting you anything at all as a compensatiry pick. I also dont see Bush as a big loss. Without a total disaster of a season I see Ross staying the course as he had stated in the past. I would count on significant turnover in 2014 as well.

Ireland is making moves like someone who is confident in their job security. Not like someone worried about this year and this year only. And Ross has never indicated Irelands job is in danger.

Ireland is on the hot seat. All this movement and money isn't just for fun. It is the biggest moves Miami has made in quite some time. I think anything less than a playoff berth will be considered a failure by the organization and Ireland will be packing his bags.

The trade shenanigans in the third round look pretty amateur. You could have had the same player and kept your 5th and 7th round pick without making that trade. The team actually gives up picks to trade Bess. Really...we couldn't have moved him for at least a 5th or 6th from someone else? Hell, let him walk in free agency and take the compensatory pick. Selecting a solid OG type when you claimed to be looking for an OT looks like a risky move. No skill positions drafted on offense yet this year.....Wallace and Keller were good acquisitions. Bush was a significant loss. I think you still have to find Thomas' replacement. Miller will be fine, but he will need help. Lots of turnover, a 2nd year QB and a tough schedule (again). I would love to see the team make the playoffs, but I think it is a tall order. It might be two more years of football, with hopefully less roster turnover, for this team to make the playoffs. I doubt the organization has the patience.

I see a lot of things quite differently. Particularly the idea of Bess getting you anything at all as a compensatiry pick. I also dont see Bush as a big loss. Without a total disaster of a season I see Ross staying the course as he had stated in the past. I would count on significant turnover in 2014 as well.

Ireland is making moves like someone who is confident in their job security. Not like someone worried about this year and this year only. And Ross has never indicated Irelands job is in danger.

Has Ross really given any indication he knows anything about making the Dolphins a better team? I hope you are right, but I don't think personnel moves have been this team's strong suit lately. Ireland was given a lot of ammo this year and he has shot it up. Let's see what shows up on the field. If it is another mediocre season, then it is hard to imagine Ireland's job won't be in jeopardy.

_________________Philbin's countenance exudes confidence!1984 was so long ago...Will there ever be another rainbow?

Well, he is the owner and if he spoke his mind out honestly. Not the first time an owner has spoken out his opinion. Who cares? As far as it coming back to bite the Dolphins. I doubt that as Sparano I would say will be lucky if he coaches more than the line in the NFL moving forward.

I mean was it unnecessary to say all this probably, but does it really matter?

Last edited by Finhead34 on Sat Apr 27, 2013 7:49 am, edited 1 time in total.

It sounds like he is clearing the air. I think most of us knew this all ready. I think the bottom line is that he was right: Sparano is not a good NFL head coach; Jim Harbaugh was going to be a good NFL coach. Would I have done it his way? I don't think I would, but maybe that's why I'm sitting home watching the game instead of owning the whole friggin' team. Right now I am happy with the direction this team is going in. I'm sure the media will use this as another reason to hate our team, but maybe we'll get the last laugh by winning a lot of games this year.

Ross is a certified as$ hole. He is PT Barnum in disguise. He should have fired Sparano as soon as he got on that plane to California. Had he not hired Harbaugh he would have found another knucklehead to coach this team. But then you go ahead & hold a mock press conference announcing his extension , sitting Sparano there with the two guys who just got back from trying to hire his replacement. Then you do fire him after he has his weekly press conference with the media after a game. Look , as it turns out Sparano was not a very good coach but after his first season here most everyone was using words like man crush about him. We were loving his enthusiasm & even started a thread here how great our coach was because he lost weight the old fashioned way by diet & exercise rather than the way Rex Ryan who "cheated" by having surgery.Yes , Ireland is cleaning up a mess but it is not Sparano's. Sparano at least was a stand up guy. When losses were mounting he did not go into hiding like Ross & Ireland. Like I said he turned out not to be a good head coach but he was treated like crap & deserved better. Ross is an as$ hole & this team will be better if he does not get his public money to renovate the stadium & sells the team. His antics here with an orange carpet , to celebrity ownership , to honoring the Gators to Club Liv made us a laughing stock & took away from the product on the field. You also dont start talking bad about past employees. As an owner , businessman & boss you need to show some class.As a fan it is not mandatory to defend the current owner of your team. You can still be a fan so all the homers need not take that route.Ross is very lucky that Jeffery Luria is also an owner here to take some press away.Did I mention Ross is an as$ hole?

I like that Ross is a butt hole. This is why despite being a Jet, I love Rex Ryan lol. A good butt hole is good for media attention. No such thing as bad press! Ross is serious about winning, about improving what he bought, and doesn't care who he offends doing it. My kind of butt hole.

Ireland is on the hot seat. All this movement and money isn't just for fun. It is the biggest moves Miami has made in quite some time. I think anything less than a playoff berth will be considered a failure by the organization and Ireland will be packing his bags.

The trade shenanigans in the third round look pretty amateur. You could have had the same player and kept your 5th and 7th round pick without making that trade. The team actually gives up picks to trade Bess. Really...we couldn't have moved him for at least a 5th or 6th from someone else? Hell, let him walk in free agency and take the compensatory pick. Selecting a solid OG type when you claimed to be looking for an OT looks like a risky move. No skill positions drafted on offense yet this year.....Wallace and Keller were good acquisitions. Bush was a significant loss. I think you still have to find Thomas' replacement. Miller will be fine, but he will need help. Lots of turnover, a 2nd year QB and a tough schedule (again). I would love to see the team make the playoffs, but I think it is a tall order. It might be two more years of football, with hopefully less roster turnover, for this team to make the playoffs. I doubt the organization has the patience.

82 for 106 and 109 is a bad trade?

Their is alot of holes in this little rant.

Quote:

Davone Bess to Cleveland was a swap of fourth-round picks (Miami’s 111th overall for the Browns’ 104th), and then one of Miami’s three seventh-round picks (217th overall) for Cleveland’s fifth-rounder (164th overall). So they’re back to 11 total picks.

Sparano at least was a stand up guy. When losses were mounting he did not go into hiding like Ross & Ireland. Like I said he turned out not to be a good head coach but he was treated like crap & deserved better. Ross is an as$ hole & this team will be better if he does not get his public money to renovate the stadium & sells the team.

No he was just down sizing his house.....He didn't even finish the season as coach.

Quote:

His antics here with an orange carpet , to celebrity ownership , to honoring the Gators to Club Liv made us a laughing stock & took away from the product on the field.

Like it or not the the NFL had a red carpet at the draft...It's the way things are now. And all those ideas were from Mike Dee trying to sell tickets

Well, he is the owner and if he spoke his mind out honestly. Not the first time an owner has spoken out his opinion. Who cares? As far as it coming back to bite the Dolphins. I doubt that as Sparano I would say will be lucky if he coaches more than the line in the NFL moving forward.

I mean was it unnecessary to say all this probably, but does it really matter?

I care. And while it doesn't make a difference in any of our lives,it does matter. An owner bad mouthing (actually more than that - he was shifting blame) a former coach reflects poorly on the organization as a whole.

It just adds more negativity when Philbin has been trying to restore the team's image.

Ross said nothing wrong. He spoke as a businessman. I hope most of you commenting took time to read the entire interview or listen to it.

When you give a man an extension whom you were saddled with and didn't want, you are a hypocrite.

When you're a successful business man in the open market of capitalism and become part of the "Rich Man Toys" NFL Owner there are bad decisions that are going to be made because both approaches are opposites.

Ross went after a better Head Coach. Got hosed.

Firing Sporano and hiring some other cast off would have hand cuffed Ross and the Dolphins more by losing out on a real coaching prospect the following season.

Ross had a warm welcoming to NFL Business Operations when he flew out to the West Coast for no reason.

_________________"You are who you are when nobody is looking"Twitter: @ToneOzMIA

When you're a successful business man in the open market of capitalism and become part of the "Rich Man Toys" NFL Owner there are bad decisions that are going to be made because both approaches are opposites.

Ross went after a better Head Coach. Got hosed.

Firing Sporano and hiring some other cast off would have hand cuffed Ross and the Dolphins more by losing out on a real coaching prospect the following season.

Ross had a warm welcoming to NFL Business Operations when he flew out to the West Coast for no reason.

You think he's helping his own case now by airing this out in public? He basically just unraveled any attempted covering up he did when he gave Tony the extension ...... not as though everyone in the world didn't already know it though.

He has to Air it out because he's going on a publication tour trying to get support for his renovations.In those interviews he's going to be asked questions we haven't gotten the answer to. He's going to answer them honestly to continue to try to sell support for public funding. It's part of the process. It's not him choosing now to bash Sporano.

_________________"You are who you are when nobody is looking"Twitter: @ToneOzMIA

He has to Air it out because he's going on a publication tour trying to get support for his renovations.

In those interviews he's going to be asked questions we haven't gotten the answer to. He's going to answer them honestly to continue to try to sell support for public funding. It's part of the process. It's not him choosing now to bash Sporano.

Blame-shifting will not create ground swell for support with the new stadium.

All name calling aside , why cant he just pay for the renovations himself. Of all the monster truck shows , concerts , and other events the revenue will be there. These other events will make up for the lagging Dolphin attendance. Why add any new tax even if it a tourist tax. Put your feelings for the Dolphins aside. Schools are broke , housing is still down while unemployment is still up. People are just still plain hurting. If he is on a PR tour , let him step up.

All name calling aside , why cant he just pay for the renovations himself. Of all the monster truck shows , concerts , and other events the revenue will be there. These other events will make up for the lagging Dolphin attendance. Why add any new tax even if it a tourist tax. Put your feelings for the Dolphins aside. Schools are broke , housing is still down while unemployment is still up. People are just still plain hurting. If he is on a PR tour , let him step up.

I agree with you completely. Ross should pay for his private company renovations. I'm not going to bash him for going on a PR tour. That's his job. Businessmen make most money when they're not spending theirs. If he can lobby and persuade others throughout the community more power to him.

_________________"You are who you are when nobody is looking"Twitter: @ToneOzMIA

All name calling aside , why cant he just pay for the renovations himself. Of all the monster truck shows , concerts , and other events the revenue will be there. These other events will make up for the lagging Dolphin attendance. Why add any new tax even if it a tourist tax. Put your feelings for the Dolphins aside. Schools are broke , housing is still down while unemployment is still up. People are just still plain hurting. If he is on a PR tour , let him step up.

Because these guys NEVER want to use their own money. They commonly like to make money using other people's money, less risk higher reward.